www.etisalat.ae Design guide

Design guide
Index
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Subject Page
Introduction 2
General telecom requirements 3
Civil requirements applicable for all types of buildings 3
Entry box 3
Entry pipes 3
Main telecom room 4
Floor telecom room 4
Roof-top telecom room 4
Risers from main telecom room to individual floors 5
Floor distribution box 5
Flat distribution-from indoor equipment cabinet 6
Villa floor distribution-from indoor equipment cabinet 6
Installation of in-building fibre drop cables 6
High-rise buildings 6
Single villas 7
Etisalat telecom requirements 7
Etisalat telecom requirements-Table 1 7
Etisalat telecom requirements-Table 2 8
Structured Cabling System (SCS) 9
Cabling & termination 9
Telecommunication cabling 9
Telecommunication socket 9
Accessories 10
Horizontal subsystem (UTP Cables) 10
Cable capacities in trays conduits 11
Indoor equipment cabinet 19” 11
A) Free standing types 11
B) Wall-mounted type cabinets 12
Under-floor systems 12
Main elements of under-floor raceway systems 12
Protection from electromagnetic interference 13
Electrical requirements 15
Important notes 15
List of annexures 16

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Design guide www.etisalat.ae
Introduction
Introduction
Telecommunication is now an integral part of social,
economic and political issues of the world. Networks of
the future will be digital and intelligent and will offer high
transmission capacity and flexible bandwidth; in addition,
they will be easily accessed and connected while its
services will be personal and tailored to individual needs.
These will allow us to interact in ways previously not
possible - available at any time and any place. In addition
to providing entertainment and business services, networks
of the future will provide education, health and other
public services.
Major advances in communications technology have
substantially widened the range of services carried by
the network. Satellites, microwave radio, optical cable
links, digital switching and transmission, offer a potential
for the improvement of quality and for the extension of
access to the most remote areas. The pace of technological
change is increasing while the magnitude of demands the
future will make on our creativity and capacity to adapt
is great. Customers will demand more than just stateof-the-art
technology; they will want convenience and
increased control in their lives that affordable information
access can provide. While businesses will look for total
telecommunications solutions that will not only enable
them to remain productive and compete globally but will
also give them a competitive edge.
Etisalat can be well-placed to meet these challenges ahead
and meet the varied needs of our local and international
customers and pave the way for the region’s new dynamism
in the telecommunications industry well into the 21st
century.
As technology and mode of transport are changing fast, a
broad approach to suit all future type of services will have
to be borne in mind, while designing the infrastructures for
buildings. A properly designed building with clear Access
Path supports the triple play services, viz telephony, data
and video services. Also, supports future advanced services,
warranting higher speeds and higher bandwidth, planned to
be available in near future, for faster provision of services.
The present booklet is to provide guidelines for consultants,
contractors and the details on the in-building facilities
required to be considered at the design stage.
The details provided are a general insight and the minimum
requirements of Etisalat for the new buildings, primarily to
develop and deploy FTTX (Fibre to Home), based on GPON
technology.
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Design guide www.etisalat.ae
General telecom requirements
To provide telecom services, the internal concealed pipe
and other associated requirements vary for the different
building types. The various types of buildings are grouped
as commercial buildings, residential towers, ware houses,
medium high-rise buildings, shopping complexes, retail
houses, row houses, independent villas, campus villas,
labour camps, mosques, petrol pumps, etc.
The building owners, builders, property developers,
consultants and contractors are advised to provide the
various in–building requirements, as applicable, to ensure
timely provision of services.
Civil requirements applicable for all types
of buildings
Entry box
Entry box is an underground joint box built, exclusively to
allow installation of Etisalat underground cable network to
the customer’s premises.
• The entry box is a reinforced concrete structure, with a
heavy duty Ductile Iron Frame and Cover of rating grade ‘A’
and size is 60x60x80 cm. The cover shall have marking as
“Telephones”
• The location of the entry box, depends on the location of
existing/proposed Etisalat external line plant
• The entry box should be constructed at a maximum
distance of 1 meter from plot line. If it is not practical to
install within the plot, then install it outside the plot. Make
sure it touches the boundary wall
• Due to the variables involved, it is essential to consult
Etisalat at the design stage, to decide the location
of the entry box and entry pipe. The consultants/
contractors must not deviate from the stipulated location
• An earth rod must be provided at the entry box. The
required earth resistance should not exceed more than 5
ohms
• For entry box size details please refer to Table No. 1
Entry pipes (Lead-in ducts)
The entry pipes are uPVC ducts. These ducts are to be
extended from the entry box towards premises and towards
Etisalat line plant location.
• Entry pipes should be laid at a depth of 60 cm from the
proposed finished paving level. The entry pipe must be
protected with concrete to prevent damages
• Entry pipe should be extended to the entry box and
beyond to the nearest existing Etisalat plant location, or 1
meter from plot limit or as advised by Etisalat
• The entry pipe should be of uPVC material and of black
color
• The open ends of the entry pipe must be properly sealed,
to prevent entry of sub-soil materials and ingress of water
• Location of entry pipes must be clearly marked, above
ground for easy location
• Building contractors shall be responsible to locate the
installed entry pipes on site, if requested by Etisalat
• No right-angled sharp bends should be installed through
out the duct length, except one wide-angle, long radius
bend (factory made) at the terminating end of the duct,
inside the main telecom room. Alternatively, at the location
of the wide angle bend, a cable pull box of minimum size
600(L) x 700(W) x 800(D) mm must be provided
• Entry pipes must be assigned, exclusively for Etisalat
telecommunication services
• Entry pipes must be provided with a draw rope made of
nylon of minimum 6 mm diameter
• For the number and size of entry pipes, for the various
types of buildings, please refer to Table 1
Main telecom room
Main telecom room should be a dedicated room. This is to
be provided either on the ground floor or basement or in
the first floor or mezzanine floor of the building for the
purpose of terminating telecommunication cables and to
house the present & future telecom equipment. The room
must be exclusively for Etisalat use
• The room must be easily accessible to Etisalat Personnel
24 hr./day, (all days including weekends). The room
must be clean, dry and free from dust and secured from
unauthorized entry
• Adequate lighting and minimum of four 20 amp and
240 volt A.C. Mains outlet from a dedicated circuit breaker
should be provided
• The room must be air-conditioned and a “raised floor” of
minimum 30 cm should be provided if required, depending
on the telecom room usage
• The room must be provided with a good earth rod of not
more than 5 ohms
• The door opening for the room should swing outwards
• The floor, roof and surrounding wall of the telecom room,
should be free of any concealed water/drainage pipes and
air-conditioning ducts passing through
• The room must be provided with an emergency light, a
smoke detector and a fire alarm
• If the telecom room is proposed in the basement, an
automatic sump draining system must be provided to
handle water seepages
• The duct entry to building must be sealed air and water
tight
• For the main telecom room size, please refer Table No. 1
Floor telecom closet
Floor telecom closet is a dedicated closet and required on
each floor for the purpose of routing and/or terminating
telecommunication cables. The room should be exclusively
for Etisalat use
• The closet must readily be accessible to Etisalat personnel
and equipment 24 hr./day, all the days, round the clock and
the closet, clean dry, and free from dust and secured from
unauthorized entry
• The door opening for the closet should swing outwards,
when opened
• For the floor telecom closet size, please refer Table No. 1
Roof-top telecom room
Roof-top telecom room, is a dedicated room to be provided
on the roof-top of the proposed multi-storey buildings,
exclusively for Etisalat use and secured from unauthorized
entry. The minimum roof-top telecom room size should be
3(L) x 3(W) x 3(H) meter
• The floor loading of this area must be maximum possible,
to support future installation of telecommunications
equipment
• An opening of size 60x40 cm to be provided on the wall
of the room, facing the terrace, 50 cm below the room
ceiling
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• The location of the room should be within the vertical
structure of the building, with due considerations for load
safety provisions and to extend related facilities required
such as air-conditioning, 3-phase power (Distribution
Board) DB, earthing less than 5 ohms, adequate lighting,
one 13 amp 240 v AC power socket and one telephone
socket
• The room must be provided with an emergency light, a
smoke detector and a fire alarm
• The room must readily be accessible to Etisalat
personnel and equipment 24 hr every day, all the days,
round the clock and the room must be clean, dry and free
from dust
Risers from main telecom room
to individual floors
The risers are required in multiple-storey buildings for
the installation of telecom fibre optic cables from main
telecom room to other floors, as detailed below:-
• Galvanized slotted iron cable trays (minimum 200x50
mm HDRF (Heavy Duty, Return Flange) should be provided
from the main telephone room, to each telephone closet
and extended up to the roof telephone room
• The risers to each floor must be symmetrical and
vertically in line with the main telecom room.
However, where the main telecom room, floor telephone
closet and roof telecom rooms are to be located one
below the other in vertical line, a continuous cable trays/
conduits must be provided with pull boxes/access panels at
every turning point and at interval of 15 meters each, up to
the main telecom room. Right angle or sharp bends are to
be avoided
• If a building consists of more than one tower, all the
above specified requirements are required in each tower
The towers must be inter-connected at the main telecom
room, by separate cable trays of minimum 2 nos. and size
200x50 mm or through floor raceways passing through
a common area between the two buildings. The size of
the floor raceways is to be decided at the design stage by
Etisalat. The same requirements also apply to mezzanine
and penthouse floors. The telecom cable trays should have
adequate separation from electrical cable trays. Electrical
cable trays should not cross the telecom cable trays.
Floor distribution box
Floor distribution boxes are metallic boxes, concealed,
located on the wall, where the internal conduit from every
flat is terminated. These empty boxes, should be located
close to the risers and can be more than one, depending
upon the number of flats and conduits proposed to be
terminated. These distribution boxes facilitate to route the
fibre optic cables to the premises direct and the number of
cables corresponds to the number of flat/premises.
• The distribution boxes should be of size not less than
30(L) X 30(H) X 15(D) flush mounted on wall and should
be fixed inside the telecom closet of each floor. A suitable
hinged cover must be provided
• It should be installed at a height of 120 cm above the
finished floor level
• The conduits leading from the floor distribution box
towards flat, should not be less than 25 mm diameter
• Adequate safe working space is to be provided around
each location
• The distribution boxes on a floor, should not be linked to
or serve any other floor of the building
• The distribution boxes location should never be near any
electrical junction box or bus bars. Adequate safe working
space should be provided in front of each box
• A single conduit of at least 25 mm (1 inch) internal dia.,
black and of uPVC material should be provided from each
floor distribution box to the indoor equipment cabinet of
each office, residence, flat and other independent areas in
the same floor
• Etisalat should be consulted to enhance the requirements,
if the building is designed for commercial use
Flat distribution
– from indoor equipment cabinet
• A secured indoor equipment cabinet should be of
minimum size 12 U and width 600 mm and depth 515 mm
to house the Optical Network Unit (ONU), power sockets
and patch panel/IDC modules and battery. The cabinet
should be flush mounted on wall. The cabinet should be
dedicated to each office/residential flat and to be sited in a
secured place. The location shall be suitable for technician’s
access, when required
• The location of the indoor equipment cabinet should be
at a common point, where all the internal conduits meet
and the Structured Cabling System (SCS) on a star topology
can be installed. However, the farthest socket must not
exceed 90 m from the cabinet
• Two power sockets are required, inside the indoor
equipment cabinet, for powering the optical network unit
and battery rectifier
• The cabinet distribution box location should not be
adjacent to any electrical distribution or bus bars
• The cabinet distribution box should be installed at a
height of 120 cm above the finished floor level
• All internal conduits should be of a diameter not less
than 25 mm (1 inch) to extend the structured cables from
ONU to SCS socket locations at each room
Villa distribution
- from indoor equipment cabinet
• A secured indoor equipment cabinet, should be of
minimum size 12 U and width 600 mm and depth 515 mm
to house the Optical Network Unit (ONU), power sockets
and patch panel/IDC modules and battery. The cabinet
should be flush mounted on wall. The cabinet should be
dedicated on each villa and to be sited in a secured place.
The location must be suitable for technician’s access, when
required
• A secured distribution box of size 30 (L)x30 (H)x15 (W) cm
flush mounted on wall is required in every floor of the villa,
for distributing SCS, from the indoor cabinet
• The floor distribution box should be kept at a convenient
and easily accessible location where the floor distribution
conduits are terminated. It should be installed at a height
between 40 cm and 120 cm above the finished floor level
• The distribution boxes on different floors of a villa should
be connected through a PVC conduit, of a 50 mm diameter
• The distribution box should have one 50 mm (2 inch)
conduit to the rooftop of the villa, from the cabinet or
from the telephone entry duct location, in order to provide
access to cables from the antenna
Installation of in-building fibre drop cables
High-rise buildings
The building owner should install a minimum of 2 core fibre
drop cables, from the main telecom room ODF location
to the indoor cabinet location of each flat/premises.
Termination of these fibres should be by Etisalat on the
ONU and ODF. Installer to leave an extra length of 3 m of
cable on either end for terminations. The cables must be
suitably labeled
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Single villas
In the case of single villas, Etisalat will extend and
terminate the FO cable, directly in the ONU.
In all other cases, the 2 core drop cables should be
extended to the ODF location in the telecom room,
by the owner.
Bldg
Types
Entry Box
Telecom
Requirements
Entry Pipes/ Duct
Apartment Indoor
Distribution Cabinet
std 19“ Rack
Single villa
Size:
60x60x80 cm.
Location:
Within the
compound and at
Max 1 m from
compound wall line
A single (2”) inch
pipes/duct towards
the villa & single x
(2”) inch
pipes/ducts to be
extended outside
the plotline towards
Etisalat Network
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted on
wall
Size:
JRC-4 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Depends upon the
layout
A single (4”) inch
pipes/ducts to be
extended one meter
outside the plot line
towards Etisalat
Network. Internal
Distribution within
plot to be in
accordance with
Etisalat advise
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted on
wall, per villa
Size:
JRC 12 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Within the property,
near plot line.
Additional Boxes at
all turning points
of lead-in
2x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the building and
four x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the Etisalat Network
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Size:
JRC 12 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Within the property,
near plot line.
Additional Boxes at
all turning points
of lead-in
2 x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the building and
four x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the Etisalat Network
A diversity entry
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Etisalat telecom requirements
The Table No. 1 below, details the different requirements
for the various types of buildings and types.
Size:
JRC 12 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Within the property,
near plot line.
Additional Boxes at
all turning points
of lead-in
2 x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the building and
four x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the Etisalat Network
A diversity entry
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Size:
JRC 12 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Depending on the
layout
2 x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the building and
four x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the Etisalat Network
A diversity entry
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Size:
JRC 12 Joint Box
(Etisalat standard)
Location:
Depending on the
layout
2 x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the building and
four x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts towards
the Etisalat Network
A diversity entry
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Size:
60x60x80 cm with
Grade A cover
Position:
Within land plot
where lead-in
branching to other
blocks end
at turning points
A single x (4”) inch
pipes/ducts to be
extended one meter
outside the plot line
towards Etisalat
Network.
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted
on wall
7 8
Bldg
Types
Complex of
villas
Single villa Complex of
villas
Bldgs (G+5)
or
Building area
upto 3000 m2
Bldgs (G+5)
or
Bldg floors
(G+6) to (G+10)
or
Bldg of 100
tenants
or
Bldg area
upto 7000 m2
Bldg floors
(G+6) to (G+10)
Bldg floors (G+10)
and more
or
over 100 tenants
or
Bldg area more than
7000 m2
Bldg floors (G+10)
and more
Shopping malls Palaces &
hospitals
Shopping malls Palaces &
hospitals
Group of shops
& sheds
Group of shops
& sheds
Apartment Indoor
Distribution Cabinet
std 19“ Rack
Bldg
Types
Telecom
Requirements
Floor
Distribution Box
Main
Telecom Room
Floor
Telecom Closet
Riser Cable Trays
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted on
wall
accordance with
Etisalat advise
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted on
wall, per villa
Single villa Complex of
villas
Size:
One 30x30 x15 cm
box recessed inside
the wall for each
floor.
Location:
Convenient location
with 1 meter free
wall space around
and at a height
between 40-120 cm
above finished
floor level.
Per single villa.
Size: One
30x30x15 cm box
recessed inside the
wall for each floor.
Location:
Convenient location
with one meter free
wall space around
and at a height
between 40-120 cm
above finished
floor level.
No requirements Size:
2x3x3 (LxWxH)
meters for villas
more than
10 numbers
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Bldgs (G+5)
or
Building area
upto 3000 m2
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm
boxes flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in
each floor Telecom
Closet
Size:
2x3x3 (LxWxH)
meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
No requirements No requirements Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common area
No requirements No requirements 20x5 cm
cable trays
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Bldg floors
(G+6) to (G+10)
or
Bldg of 100
tenants
or
Bldg area
upto 7000 m2
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm
box flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in
each floor Telecom
Closet
Size:
3x3x3 (LxWxH)
meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common areas
Table 1 Table 1 (Continued)
20x5 cm
cable trays
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Bldg floors (G+10)
and more
or
over 100 tenants
or
Bldg area more than
7000 m2
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm
box flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in
each floor Telecom
Closet
Size:
3x4x3 (LxWxH)
meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common areas
20x5 cm
cable trays
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm
box flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in
each floor Telecom
Closet
Size:
3x4x3 (LxWxH)
meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common area
route may also be
provisioned
42U (H) x 800 mm
(W) X 800 mm (D)
Stand alone type
19” equipment
Cabinet
Shopping malls Palaces &
hospitals
20x5 cm
cable trays
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm
box flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in
each floor Telecom
Closet
Size:
3x4x3 (LxWxH)
meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common areas
20x5 cm
cable trays
12U (H) x 600 mm
(W) X 515 mm (D)
flush mounted
on wall
Group of shops
& sheds
Size:
One 30x30x15 cm box
flush to wall
Location:
To be provided in each
floor Telecom Closet
Size:
2x3x3 (LxWxH) meters
Location:
In the ground floor
common area.
Size:
Closet (LxWxD)
100x60x60 cm
Location:
In common areas
No requirements

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Structured Cabling System (SCS)
To deliver the services from the ONU, a SCS System on star
topology is required. The minimum requirement is standard
CAT 6 cable with RJ45 connectivity. A SCS design being
project specific, a discussion, with complete details is
recommended with system designers and Etisalat.
However, the following are the general minimum
requirements of structured cabling systems, for provision
of service.
Cabling & termination
Telecommunication cabling
• The cables used for these wiring must comply with
minimum CAT 6 standards
• The planned SCS cable should meet the designed service
requirements within the particular flat level and should
have built-in flexibility, to meet growing needs of the
tenants
• All SCS cables are to be properly labeled and terminated,
in the RJ45 sockets and in-patch panel or in CAT 6
compliant IDC modules by the owners
• Building owner is responsible for replacement of inbuilding
cables and other fixtures, if these become faulty
• Cable diagrams must be submitted to Etisalat for
approval at the design stage and as-built is required on
completion
• Cables and other accessories required for block wiring
may be purchased from any reputable source provided that
the material meets standards
• The name and contact telephone numbers of the SCS
installer, should be labeled at appropriate location
• Completed SCS should be subject to acceptance by
Etisalat. However, the design and performance of the SCS
system should be the responsibility of the installer/owner
• Any upgrading required in the in–building facility,
telecommunication cables, due to either enhanced demand,
change in building status or damage should be provided by
building owner
• The supply and termination of UTP cables on patch
panel or IDC modules and sockets locations should be the
responsibility of the installers/owners
• Etisalat would supply and install, main ODFs, mini ODFs
and optical network units (ONUs). All jumperings and
patchings in the ODFs, patch panels in ONUs would be the
responsibility of Etisalat. Building owners/contractors or
other technicians are totally prohibited to carry out these
functions
Telecommunication socket
All outlets should be Category 6 performance, outlets
mounted in shutters, typically in dual, triple or quad
formation in a single or double gang white faceplate.
All RJ45 outlets should be fitted with spring loaded sliding
shutters to prevent the ingress of dirt and dust.
• Provision for at least one dual socket for
telecommunication services should be made in every room
including kitchen. Conduit with not less than 25 mm
should be connected between the socket locations
• Every socket must be connected with a minimum of four
pair SCS Cat 6 cable, following star topology. In case of
hotel buildings, the provision of telecommunication socket
should also be extended to the bathrooms
• Telecommunication sockets, cables and associated
facilities within the various rooms and premises are to be
provided by the building owner
9 10
Accessories
All accessory plates should be dual or quad white PVC
plated. The use of any special faceplate, which may be
specific to any other manufacturer’s product range, such as
brass finish, etc. should be reviewed.
The choice of outlets distribution, location and type, either
it is single, dual, or quad, the optimum requirements in
each area, ultimate number of outlets in every locations,
flexibility and maximum usage, should be the responsibility
of consultants.
Horizontal subsystem (UTP Cables)
All horizontal cables should be based on the Category 6
performance compliant.
All conductors in each cable should be connected to a
single RJ45 socket at the work area outlets and patch
panel. Each cable should be terminated to maintain the
twists in each pair within 5 mm of the termination. Proper
strain relief should be provided for the cable at the outlets
and patch panel, avoiding strain on the conductors
Colour coding for the termination should be as per the
following table.
Pair Tip Ring
1 White Blue
2 White Orange
3 White Green
4 White Brown
Horizontal cabling
• The physical topology of the horizontal cabling should
be configured as a star with each outlet connected directly
to a flat/apartment distribution box inside the flat or
apartment. No looping of cables from outlet to outlet is
permitted
• The horizontal cabling is to be provided to single, dual,
triple and quad outlets throughout
• The length of cable between the farthest
telecommunications outlet and the distribution box should
not exceed 90 m (295 ft.)
• A minimum of two telecommunications outlets should be
provided for each individual work area. The outlets may be
located with one or more faceplates in the work area
Horizontal pathways
• Horizontal pathways (conduits, sleeves, cable trays,
etc.) are used for taking the cables from the floor
telecommunications room to the telecommunications
outlets in the same floor
• A variety of methods are available and the choice of
selection of method should depend on the purpose of the
floor area to be served (i.e. general office spaces, apartment
dwellings, etc.)
Conduits
• The use of conduits as a horizontal raceway system
should only be considered when the outlet locations are
permanent, the device densities are low and flexibility is
not required
• The minimum size of a conduit pipe used as a
horizontal pathway from the distribution box to the
telecommunications outlet should be 25 mm (1 inch)
• For the conduits, the inside bending radius should always
be at least 10 times the internal diameter

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• Minimum of one nylon draw wire must be installed in a
conduit
• Pull boxes should be located such that they are readily
accessible at all times. Pull boxes to be spaced at a
maximum of 15 m apart to minimize cable stress during
installation and to provide serviceability in the future
• Conduits must be free from sharp edges, to prevent cable
damage during and subsequent to pulling
• Conduits protruding through a floor should be
terminated; a minimum of 50 mm from the floor to prevent
water or other liquids from flowing into the conduits
Maximum number of UTP cables inside a conduit,
recommended for the installation of a Structured Cabling
System is as follows:
Conduit trade Internal dia No. of Cat
size (mm) 6 cables
1” 25.40 7
11 /4” 34.04 13
11 /2” 39.88 18
2” 51.31 30
Cable capacities in trays conduits
When the internal cable trays, risers and ladders, etc. are
designed, supplied and installed by others, the maximum
number of UTP cables, recommended to be installed on
a tray as shown; however this need to be reduced in the
case of bends and crossovers. The formula applied is that
for every 25 mm x 25 mm cross section, 8 cables can be
accommodated. No truncking or cable tray should be more
than 75% full on installation.
Cable tray size Truncking size No. of UTP
(mm) (mm) cables
50x50 50x50 30
75x50 50x75 45
100x50 50x100 60
100x50 75x75 67
150x 50 75x100 90
200x50 100x100 120
300x 50 150x150 180
450x50 - 360
900x50 - 540
Where a FO cable block wiring is considered, a very careful
consideration must be taken, while designing the system.
The owner should be responsible for the design, supply and
maintenance of all related items.
Indoor equipment cabinet 19”
Depending upon the termination and patch panel
requirement, and to accommodate other active and passive
equipment, a cabinet with standard 19” rack is required,
generally complying with the following:-
A) Free standing types
Recommended for high-rise buildings, shopping malls,
hospitals, airports, large commercial establishments, etc.
The cabinets should be:
• 42U 800 mm wide x 800 mm deep 19” equipment cabinet
• Glass front door with provision for air circulation
• Steel rear door
• Jacking feet
• Horizontal cable management
• Vertical cable management
• Bonded to a local earth point
B) Wall-mounted type cabinets
These are recommended for flats, villas, shops, etc. and
should be provided flush with wall, at a common location
where all SCS cables, patch panels/IDC modules, fibres,
power and ONU equipment are proposed to be installed.
The cabinet should be exclusive for Etisalat use and no
access to others should be allowed.
• 12U – 22U 600 mm wide x 515 mm deep 19” wiring/
equipment cabinet
• Glass front door with provision for air circulation
• Vertical cable management
• Bonded to a local earth point
We recommend that the proposed locations of the cabinets
have sufficient space around the cabinets to allow access
to installation and maintenance and should be located in
central locations, where all the terminations of the SCS
cables on patch panels/IDC modules and fibre termination
and ONUs, power socket and battery back up, should be
installed.
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Patching
The design of patch frame layouts is critical to create a
high level of manageability within a compact cabinet,
while maintaining effective operations when used by the
customer.
We recommend all horizontal UTP cabling should be
terminated in a 12 or 24 port patch panel, placed inside
the wall or floor cabinet. Alternatively, Cat 6 compliant IDC
modules can also be used.
Voice services can be fed from the services patch panel
directly to the user outlet using standard 1 pair patch
cords.
Labeling
Label elements
All floor outlets, patch frames and horizontal cables should
be labeled. A typewritten standard labeling system is
recommended. The labeling scheme shall be agreed on with
the clients’ telecom team.
Horizontal cable labels
Label all horizontal cables at both ends using a selflaminating,
wrap around label.
User outlet labels
Each RJ45 user outlet should be labeled with a unique
identifier, typically using the agreed scheme.
Under-floor systems
• For general office spaces, an under-floor raceway system
should be used for maximum flexibility
• In multi-channel layouts, separate raceways must be
used for telecommunications and electrical power to
reduce electromagnetic interference. The dividers for
separation of compartments in the raceway should be
bonded to ground
Main elements of under-floor raceway
systems
Distribution raceway
• Distribution raceway provides a pathway for the cables
from the feeder raceway to the work areas. The minimum

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size of the distribution raceway should be 30 mm height x
60 mm width of cross-sectional area. The same size must
be used for every (multi-channel) layout
Feeder raceway
• Feeder raceway provides a pathway for the cables from
the distribution box in the floor telecommunications room
to the distribution raceways. The minimum size of the
feeder raceway should be 40 mm height x 200 mm width
of cross-sectional area. The same size must be used for
every (multi-channel) layout
• The feeder raceways starting point in the floor
telecommunications room must be adjacent to the
distribution box. The Feeder raceway should end at the last
distribution raceway it is serving
Access unit
• The access unit provides access at the point of
intersection of the feeder and the distribution raceways
Cable trays
• Cable trays are mostly used for floors with raised tiles or
floorings
• As a general guideline, cable trays that intersect must be
provided with a transitional bend radius of 150 mm in all
directions
• Exposed sheet metal edges must be provided with
bushings or other means of protection such that cables will
not be damaged during or after installation. Since cable
trays are usually metallic, all sharp edges, burrs and screw
tips that may come into contact with cabling should be
removed
• The minimum access space between the sub-floor and
the underside of the floor tile should be minimum
150 mm (6 in)
Etisalat should be consulted in the initial design stage to
decide on the requirements if the building is designed for
office use.
Protection from
electromagnetic interference
The following requirements apply to UTP cabling,
as pathways and spaces used to carry or house
telecommunications cabling.
• The proximity of cabling to electrical facilities and
equipment that generate high levels of electromagnetic
interference (EMI) should be taken into account for
metallic cabling
• Sources of EMI include: power cables, photocopy
equipment, electric motors, transformers, fluorescent
lighting, arc welders and induction heaters, etc.
To avoid EMI, the telecommunications pathways, spaces
and metallic cables should be installed with the following
clearances:
41.2 m (4 ft) from large motors or transformers
40.3 m (1 ft) from conduit and cables used for electrical
power distribution
412 cm (5 in) from fluorescent lighting
• Pathways and metallic cables should cross perpendicular
to fluorescent lighting and electrical power cables or
conduits
Separation distance from power source
During the design stages, separation of power and the
Structured Cabling Systems (SCS) must be considered.
Unshielded data cables should not be installed near sources
of electromagnetism. The guidelines are listed on the
next page.
Typical building environment
Minimum separation distance from power source

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• Direct sunlight should not fall in the PBX room. Curtains/
screens are to be provided for the windows if any
• Power conduit and telecom cable conduit must be
separate
Electrical requirements
• A minimum of two 13 amp 240 v A/C main outlets (via)
UPS system should be provided. The actual mains power
requirements will depend on the size and type of the PBX
• The room should be provided with an earth not more
than 5 ohms
• Anti-static flooring should be provided, including the
battery room
• The rooms must be provided with an emergency light,
a smoke detector and a fire alarm
PABX can be installed in the main telecom room in the case
of a single owner.
Important note
1) This design guide explains in general, all Etisalat
requirements that will facilitate the provision of
telecommunication services to new buildings, yet the
requirements indicated in the ‘NOC’ (No Objection
Certificate) should be fully complied.
2) Architects/consultants/designers must liaise with
Etisalat at the design stage and obtain Etisalat approval on
the final design drawings.
3) Minimum two sets of telephone design drawings must
be submitted for study and approval, before tendering.
4) Where deviations/comments/amendments are advised
on the design, drawings must be corrected and
re-submitted for approval.
5) One set of approved ‘As-Built’ drawings must be
submitted along with the building completion certificate,
which will be certified by Etisalat.
6) Etisalat’s responsibility is limited to provision and
installation of ODFs, termination of fibres, patching/
jumpering works and Optical Network Units (ONUs).
7) The owners are responsible for supply and installation
of all internal FO cables from ODF (main telecom room)
to ONU (customer premises) locations, provision of wall
mounted or stand alone cabinets to accommodate ONU,
power, patch panels, etc. and complete structured cabling
system.
8) The indoor drop 2 F fiber cables, should be from a
popular brand and make, conforming to ITU standard G 652
single mode fiber standards.
9) On completion of the requirements, any comments
and snags advised by Etisalat building inspector, must be
attended to by the contractor or owner of the building
soon, to avoid delays in the issuance of the building
completion certificate.
List of annexures
Annexure I type of entry box
(JRC 4 & JRC 12)
Annexure II typical examples
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Annexure 1
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1 مقر قحلملا
Annexure 1
Typical telecom requirement in villas
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Annexure 2
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Typical telecom requirement in multi-storey building
TYPICAL TELECOM REQUIREMENT IN VILLAS
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Annexure 2
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